Quest Produces Separate Heavy and Light Rare Earth Concentrates from Strange Lake B-Zone Deposit
05 September 2013 - 10:30PM
Marketwired
Quest Rare Minerals Ltd. (TSX:QRM)(NYSE MKT:QRM) is pleased to
announce that it has produced a heavy rare earth plus yttrium
(HREE+Y) concentrate with a purity level of approximately 84% from
Quest's metallurgical test work, of which 75% is composed of
yttrium oxide. Quest anticipates that further improvements in
product quality and recoveries will be made. Quest has also
successfully produced a separate light rare earth (LREE)
concentrate, and high-purity zirconia product using Strange Lake
B-Zone materials from ongoing test work at Hazen Research and
Process Research Ortech.
Quest has engaged the Helmholtz Institute for Resource
Technology in Germany and SGS in Lakefield, Ontario for peer
reviews of its metallurgical processes. Quest is planning to work
with both of these groups on the full demonstration pilot plant,
where the process capacity will be increased significantly compared
to the mini-pilot plant, with the metallurgical processes to run on
a continuous basis. Quest is currently undertaking project planning
and development of experimental design for the full pilot plant.
The startup of the pilot plant is anticipated after the release of
Quest's upcoming pre-feasibility study on the Strange Lake B-Zone.
Quest is also in discussions with potential industrial partners for
evaluations of the product results obtained to date. The chemistry
received from the HREE+Y concentrate is seen as aligning well with
the ideal metal distribution required by one of the third parties
with which Quest is currently in discussions regarding a potential
partnership.
More than 120 thermal sulfation and water leaching experiments
have now been completed at Hazen Research in Golden, Colorado, and
the response of a number of metallurgical samples to the process is
well understood. A process for recovery of excess sulfuric acid has
been proven in repeated tests.
Quest continues to optimize the Strange Lake flow sheet to
improve cost and recovery. The approach of combining the wash and
leach filtrates separately without recycle, together with volume
reduction, had resulted in improved recoveries. By undergoing this
approach, a LREE concentrate containing approximately 27% LREE by
metal, or 68% LREE double sulfate, was also produced in the
process. While lanthanum and cerium represent 75% of the products
contained within this concentrate by weight, the elements
praseodymium, neodymium and gadolinium account for most of the
value within the LREE concentrate. The zirconium solvent extraction
process has been tested at Ortech in both bench scale and
mini-plant programs, and has succeeded in producing high-purity
zirconia products. Radio elements have been separated from the
zirconium stream as part of the zirconium solvent extraction
process. Quest has provided zirconia filter cake material to TAM
Ceramics for quality evaluation. Quest and TAM recently entered
into a non-binding Letter of Intent with respect to the purchase by
TAM of all of Strange Lake's annual zirconia production (See
Company Press Release on July 9th, 2013).
"The progress made by our production team in engineering
marketable products from Strange Lake mineralization has been
extremely encouraging," stated Peter Cashin, President and CEO of
Quest. "The test results from our pilot plant work have further
solidified Quest's vision of becoming a leading manufacturer of
strategic minerals and metal oxide products. We will use these
products to further advance our dialogues with potential strategic
entities, joint venture partners and customers around the world. We
believe our suite of high-quality products will provide a one-stop
shop for our end users, with the substantial quantity and mine life
to ensure long-term supply stability. These results are also major
milestones to be included in our upcoming pre-feasibility
study."
About Quest Rare Minerals
Quest Rare Minerals Ltd. ("Quest") is a Canadian-based
exploration company focused on the identification and discovery of
new and significant Rare Earth deposit opportunities. Quest is
publicly listed on the TSX and NYSE MKT as "QRM" and is led by a
highly-respected management and technical team with a proven
mine-finding track record. Quest is currently advancing several
high-potential projects in Canada's premier exploration areas: the
Strange Lake and the Misery Lake areas of northeastern Quebec.
Quest's 2009 exploration led to the discovery of a significant new
Rare Earth metal deposit, the B-Zone, on its Strange Lake property
in northeastern Quebec. Quest has filed a National Instrument
43-101 Indicated and Inferred Resource Estimate on the B-Zone
deposit and has completed a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA)
for the deposit. In addition, Quest announced the discovery of an
important new area of REE mineralization on its Misery Lake
project, approximately 120 km south of the Strange Lake project.
Quest continues to pursue high-value project opportunities
throughout North America.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains statements that may constitute
"forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities
legislation. Forward-looking information and statements may
include, among others, statements regarding the future plans,
costs, objectives or performance of Quest, or the assumptions
underlying any of the foregoing. In this news release, words such
as "may", "would", "could", "will", "likely", "believe", "expect",
"anticipate", "intend", "plan", "estimate" and similar words and
the negative form thereof are used to identify forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as
guarantees of future performance or results, and will not
necessarily be accurate indications of whether, or the times at or
by which, such future performance will be achieved. No assurance
can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking
information will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what
benefits Quest will derive. Forward-looking statements and
information are based on information available at the time and/or
management's good-faith belief with respect to future events and
are subject to known or unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions
and other unpredictable factors, many of which are beyond Quest's
control. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, but
are not limited to, those described under "Risk Factors" in Quest's
annual information form dated January 25, 2013, and under the
heading "Risk Factors" in Quest's Management's Discussion and
Analysis for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2012, both of which
are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at
www.sec.gov, and could cause actual events or results to differ
materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements.
Quest does not intend, nor does Quest undertake any obligation, to
update or revise any forward-looking information or statements
contained in this news release to reflect subsequent information,
events or circumstances or otherwise, except if required by
applicable laws.
Contacts: Quest Rare Minerals Ltd. Peter J. Cashin President
& CEO (416) 916-0777 or 1-877-916-0777 (416) 916-0779
(FAX)info@questrareminerals.com www.questrareminerals.com
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